The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant, botanically known as Coreopsis roseaxc3x97Coreopsis verticillata and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Limerock Rubyxe2x80x99.
The new Coreopsis was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Lincoln, R.I. on Aug. 3, 1998, as a chance seedling from random cross-pollinations of unidentified selections of Coreopsis rosea and Coreopsis verticillata, not patented. The new Coreopsis was observed as a single plant in a group of flowering plants of the unidentified selections of Coreopsis rosea and Coreopsis verticillata. The selection of this plant was based on its unique ray and disc floret coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new Coreopsis by divisions taken in a controlled environment in Lincoln, R.I. since Aug. 3, 1998, has shown that the unique features of this new Coreopsis are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Limerock Ruby has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Limerock Rubyxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Limerock Rubyxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Daisy-type inflorescences that are about 3.25 cm in diameter.
2. Unique dark crimson red-colored ray florets and dark purple-colored disc florets.
3. Very freely flowering with numerous inflorescences per plant.
4. Upright and outwardly spreading growth habit.
Plants of the new Coreopsis differ from plants of the parent selections and other known cultivars of Coreopsis rosea and Coreopsis verticillata primarily in ray and disc floret coloration. Plants of selections and cultivars of Coreopsis rosea known to the Inventor, not patented, have yellow-colored ray and disc florets and plants of selections and cultivars of Coreopsis verticillata known to the Inventor, not patented, have pink-colored ray florets and yellow-colored disc florets.